HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Devilat, J. Articles by Miller, P. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Devilat, J. Articles by Miller, P. D.

Dietary Amino Acid Balance in Growing-Finishing Pigs: Effect on Diet Preference and Performance¹

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York^3,4,

Abstract

The effect of dietary amino acid balance upon diet preference and performance of individually-fed pigs was studied in three experiments. A complete diet (A), an incomplete diet (deficient in several amino acids) (B) and a protein-free diet (C) were offered in four free-choice treatments: AA, AB, AC and BC choices. Pigs preferred the A diet in the AB choice (93.5 and 88.6%) and in the AC choice (69.1 and 63.1%) during the growing and finishing periods, respectively. Weight gain, feed intake and serum protein concentration were depressed only in the BC choice. The AC choice produced fatter carcasses than AA and AB choices. Pigs given the BC choice selected B diet 39.7 and 47.0% during growing and finishing periods, respectively. By replacing B by A diet in the choice growth-depressing effects were overcome but loin eye area remained smaller than in pigs in AA and AB. With finishing pigs using the same four treatments, results were similar to those with growing pigs except that in BC choice gain was less severely depressed, feed intake was not depressed and selection of B diet (61.2%) was greater, indicating that age has an effect on the acceptance of an amino acid imbalanced diet. It is concluded that: (1) pigs prefer an amino acid balanced diet to a diet of a similar protein level but with a deficiency of several amino acids, (2) choice between a protein-free diet and an adequate protein diet results in intake of sufficient protein for maximum weight gain but not for maximum carcass leanness, (3) growing pigs prefer a protein-free diet (which will not support life) to an incomplete protein with a deficiency of several amino acids (which will support life); finishing pigs appear to be less selective.

¹ Data from a thesis submitted by J. Devilat in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.

² Present address: Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, Casilla 5427, Santiago, Chile.

³ The authors gratefully acknowledge J. A. Dunn, E. F. Walker, Jr. and R. W. White for their assistance in this work and W. G. Fluke, American Cyanamid Company, Princeton, New Jersey for providing the antibiotic supplement.

⁴ Department of Animal Science.